More and more, the divorce rate among those age 50 and up has doubled since 1990. It’s even higher for those age 65 and older, according to a new study from Bowling Green State University.

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If you have 401(k)s and defined benefit retirement plans, that’s likely to be more complex in a divorce. Chances are you’ll need a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) which is a state court order. A QDRO must be drawn up by an attorney, approved by your retirement plan administrator, and signed by a judge.

In terms of personal and health care related matters, in most cases health care providers will look to you as the non-disabled spouse for the purpose of making decisions on your wife’s behalf even though she does not have a health care power of attorney naming you as her patient advocate

No federal law requires you to pay for the care your elderly relatives need. But before you breathe easily, some states do have such requirements. They’re called “filial responsibility statutes,” or “relatives’ liability” and they vary by state.

The bottom line is, things are changing so don’t roll the dice by failing to pull out whatever insurance policies and trusts you have in place to make sure they still protect you and represent how you want to protect your assets and your beneficiaries.

Believe it or not, many people believe they can pull out an existing will and using a pen, scratch out part of it, initial it, and … done deal. Imagine the satisfaction of doing that the next time Cousin Edna insults your lasagna noodles, right? Wrong.

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A holographic will has a tough time getting through probate. Picture your chihuahua trying to swallow peanut butter. Yeah… it’s a lot like that.

If you’re supporting an elderly parent, you may know that, beginning this year, you can no longer claim a dependent exemption for a parent as both the personal and dependent exemptions have been eliminated.

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It may pay to move any elective medical expenses that you can into 2018. Order that new pair of glasses, schedule that dental work that you were putting off till next January and get it done this year instead, refill expensive prescriptions in December if you can.

You can include language that directs your trustee to divide the assets of the trust into equal shares among your children, with each of your “responsible” children receiving their respective shares outright and your “irresponsible” son having his share held back in trust on his behalf.

Agents selling fraudulent LTC policies are well trained to express sympathy for would-be customers who haven’t been able to find coverage or can’t afford the coverage they do find. To an unwary senior, that’s endearing.

The CFPBs Office for Older Americans provides tools that help senior make informed financial decisions and improve their financial security, as well as resources to help protect them from financial exploitation.

He robbed them of the ability to live normal lives, and bilked Medicare out of nearly a hundred million dollars. The employees shared in the proceeds of theft in the form of bonuses for keeping quiet, which allowed him to keep up the fraud for years.

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According to a website called Clark.com you may still be able to get a bereavement fare at one of these airlines: Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, Lufthansa and WestJet.